Anzac Day is this Saturday, April 25, and after the Dawn Service, a different kind of tradition takes over.
Many Aussies head to pubs and RSLs with friends and family for a game of two-up.
It’s the one day of the year when it is legal in every State and Territory across Australia.
Fancy your chances? Here’s everything you need to know before you approach the ring.
What is two-up on Anzac Day?
Two-up is a traditional Australian gambling game played with two coins and a kip (a flat wooden paddle) that’s used to toss them into the air.
Basically, players gather around the ring and bet on whether the coins will both land heads or tails.
You can play between 6am and 6pm on Anzac Day, but many venues hold their games from midday until sunset at 6pm.
It has been played on Anzac Day for generations and is a nod to the diggers who tossed coins in the trenches at Gallipoli.
When was the first two-up?
Two-up has actually been around since sometime in the mid-19th century.
Though it wasn’t invented by Australian soldiers, as it was already a popular working-class game before the wars, it became synonymous with the diggers after soldiers played it during the Gallipoli campaign in World War I, keeping spirits up amid unimaginable conditions.
After the war, returned servicemen and miners kept the tradition alive, and it has been part of the fabric of Anzac Day ever since.
Why is two-up illegal in Australia?
For 364 days of the year, two-up is actually illegal in most parts of Australia.
The game is classified as unlicensed gambling and is banned outside of licensed venues.
Anzac Day is the one exception and is the day when the ban is lifted as a nod to the diggers’ spirit and the game’s place in Australian military history.
On Anzac Day, you can play two-up in RSLs, pubs, hotels, and clubs in every State and Territory.
What are the rules of two-up?
The spinner is randomly chosen by the boxer (the ringkeeper), who takes and pays bets and keeps the game fair.
The boxer finds another member of the school (that’s the crowd of players gathered around the ring) to place a matching opposite bet.
Two pennies are placed tails-side up on the kip — the flat wooden paddle — and the spinner throws them at least three metres into the air. The coins must land inside the ring as either two heads or two tails to declare a winner. If they land as odds (one head, one tail) or outside the ring, the spinner goes again.
To signal your bet, place a banknote on your head for heads, or on your rump for tails. Typical bets range from $5 to $20.
The spinner can only win by throwing heads. The boxer’s decision is always final.
Two-up terminology
Is it your first time playing? Here are some of the key terms you’ll hear around the ring:
Boxer (or ringkeeper) — the person running the game and paying out bets.
Heads — both coins land on the monarch’s side.
Kip — the wooden paddle used to throw the coins.
Odds — one heads, one tails.
Ring — the space where the game is played. School — the crowd of punters.
Spinner — the person doing the tossing.
Tails — both coins land on the side marked with a white cross.
Gamble responsibly. If gambling is causing you or a loved one harm, call the National Gambling Helpline on 1800 858 858 for free, confidential advice and support.
